Escape To The Country
by Gemenied
Summary: Follows the FB challenge - They drive the real estate agent mad.


**Title**: Escape To The Country

**Rating**: T

**Words**: 810

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. Neither these characters or WtD - or the househunting show of the same name. I just play.

**Summary**: Follows the FB challenge - They drive the real estate agent mad.

**Challenge rule****s**_**:**__ WtD, 1000 words max, must contain the words "green", "lamp", "north" and "gnome", and no smut! _(I claim to have managed them all)

Thanks and love goes to my fellow mad-people on FB - they know who they are.

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Escape to the Country<strong>

This one doesn't have enough rooms. In that one the rooms are too small. The next one isn't bright enough, because the windows are too small. The fourth one is situated on too noisy a road. Another one is lacking the necessary appliances.

He finds fault with every house they have viewed over the last month and it is beginning to grate on her.

For a man who originally said that he wasn't too bothered by what kind of house they end up with, he's awfully opinionated about each of those they have viewed. Every opinion negative.

She's beginning to think it isn't the houses, it is the idea of the official-ness they give their relationship by buying a house together. Wisely or unwisely, she doesn't mention it.

They are looking on her turf - the North of the city, which might already be the big dealbreaker for him. He wants a city location, she'd like something in the greener parts. She wants tranquil retirement. He wants excitement and party.

By rights they'll never find a suitable place.

It's the final viewing of the day and she actually can't muster much enthusiasm for it. He'll complain and growl, offend the agent and they'll be back to square one. It's the pattern of their viewings.

The sun is sinking already, bathing the property in hues of orange and purple, and even though it is only on a side road off the main one into town, it looks like a mythical place.

She loves it instantly.

His face is devoid of any reaction.

They cross the front lawn and from the corner of her eyes she sees what she knows will in the end make this house fall through as well. But once again, she doesn't comment on it.

Inside she holds her breath several times, overwhelmed with what she sees. To her, it is perfect.

He still doesn't say a word, barely acknowledges what the agent rattles off, so she becomes quieter and quieter with each room they see. She'd give her right arm for them to settle here, but she can feel that it won't happen.

They stay inside and look as dusk is descending outside. The empty rooms don't look scary, in fact, they seem to retain the warmth and brightness of the sunshine. She stands in the middle of the living room, imagining how it would be with their furniture in there, lounging on the sofa with only a single lamp on. The picture is so vivid in her mind that she thinks she could reach out and touch it.

He leans against the door frame watching her, but that's all that he does.

They wander further until the tour is at an end.

Yet he could just as well not be there.

It's her who talks to the estate agent, half apologetic, half non-committal. The agent is an experienced man and knows that he hasn't made a sale. It is rather a disappointment, this evening.

It's almost pitch dark when they leave to go back to the car and with the outside lighting on, she still thinks it looks like a place straight out of a fairytale. He trudges behind her, can't see her face and therefore can't know that she has the fleeting idea of actually ditching this whole living together-thing and buying the house for herself. If he'd want to see her then, he'd just have to deal with visiting this house.

She's almost at the garden gate when she feels a movement behind her. She turns and can barely keep upright in astonishment.

He's squatted down next to the colourful gnome next to the path as if to inspect it. When he opens his mouth, she believes that either he is in desperate need of a therapist or actually she is. He flicks his finger against the gnome's hat and says quietly, "You guard our new home until we move in, alright?"

Then he looks up at her and she must look like a fish out of water, gasping for air and with eyes wide as saucers.

He smirks and she isn't sure whether it is in triumph at having surprised her like that or in amusement over her expression. Then he gets up and takes her hand to pull her into his arms. "We'll get rid of that bloody thing as soon as we move in, Grace! I'm not having Spence laughing his arse off at me for having that tacky crap in my front garden."

It's on her to smirk before she reaches up and kisses him. "Our front garden, Boyd. Ours."

He grumbles and groans a little at that, but he wouldn't be Boyd without it and she thinks that she might yet talk him into a few more things.

The garden gnome might just be the icing on the cake.

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><p>Thank you for reading. Comments would be greatly appreciated.<p> 


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